Vending-machine.



I No. 756,947. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904- G. H. EGGLBSTON, G. F. HARDY &VON ANTWERP LEPPER. V

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1902. N0 MODEL.

n "II"? 1 UNITED STATES Patented April 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. EGGLESTON, COLIN F. HARDY, AND VON ANTWERP LEPPER, OFMARSHALL, MICHIGAN; SAID EGGLESTON ASSIGNOR TO E. J. KIRBY, OF MARSHALL,MICHIGAN.

VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,947, dated April12, 1904.

' Application filed September 19, 1902. Serial No, 124,044. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. EeeLn- STON, COLIN F. HARDY, and VONANTWERP LEPPER, citizens of the United States, residing at Marshall, inthe county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Vending-Machines; and we do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in- IOvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a r5 part of this specification.

This invention relates to machines for vending pills and other articlesof globular form; and it consists in the construction and combination ofparts hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthe machine, partly sectioned, in the normal position. Fig.

, 2 represents a part of the same in position to deliver. Fig. 3represents a detail side elevation of the dividing-tube. Fig. 1represents a detail end elevation of the same. Fig. 5 represents adetail plan View of the operating-lever. Fig. 6 represents a sideelevation of the same; and Fig. 7 represents a crosssection through thesame in proximity to the divider, showing the latter in elevation.

A designates the casing, containing an open hopper 1, to which the pillsare supplied, as

3 5 shown, and which is hung at the middle of its upper part bytrunnions, one of which is shown, (marked 15,) to a bifurcated standardQ, or equivalent fixed support. The outlet is in the center of itsbottom, as usual, and when- 4 the hopper is rocked on its trunnions thedischarge of the pills through the same is facilitated. The same resultis brought about by stirring the accumulated pills in the lower part ofthe said hopper. Both these functions are performed by a receiving-tube2 of less diameter than said outlet, which moves up and down in the arcof a large circle through this outlet with the vibration of a lever f,on one end of which it is rigidly mounted, the two being preferablyintegral. This tube 2 has a discharge part 9 near its bottom inalinement with a tubular part4 of the said lever, having an outlet 13 inits under side communicating with a delivery-tube 5.. The outlet 13 isalways open. The part 9, however, is normally closed by shield 00,depending from the proximate end of a dividing-tube 3, located in thespace between the receivingtube 2 and the tubular part 1 of the leverand pivoted by gudgeons 12 of its fixed collar on to bearings in astandard or standards 2-. This pivoting allows such play of thisdividing-tube as prevents the parts from binding as the lever vibratesup and down. For the same reason the said shield is slitted at 11 tostraddle the slender part 14c of the lever f immediately below it, andit is concaved transversely to fit the cylindrical surface ofreceiving-tube 2. The dividing-tube 3 is provided with apairof terminallugs 0, similarly fixed to this latter tube by curvature and serving toguide the parts and keep them in position. The said part 1 1 of thelever is provided withla raised divider or partition betweenreceiving-tube 2 and tubular part4: and having a V-shaped notch orrecess 8, 7 5 which is broad at the top, also a stop .3, extendedvertically above the tubular part 4: at the end thereof nearest to thedividing-tube 3. The divider 8 plays up and down with the vibration ofthe lever through a transverse slot 10 in the bottom of dividing-tube 3,and the stop 3 similarly plays up and down at the delivery end of thesaid dividing-tube, their relative'positions as to elevation making suchaction alternate, so that the divider 8 opens the 8 5 tube 3 in themiddle, while the stop 3 closes it at the end, and the divider 8 closesthe passage through the middle of the said tube, while the stop 3 opensthe delivery end, the former action occurring when the parts are in thepo- 9 sition shown in Fig. 1, and the latter action occurring while theyare in the position shown in Fig. 2. The V-shaped recess 8 expedites thepassage of the pill past the divider 8 as the latterdescends. The stop 3is provided at the top with a flange 3 overlapping the delivery end ofthe dividing-tube 3 to prevent it from being accidentally tilted up outof position by the friction of the receiving-tube 2 against the shield00 and lugs 0 as the operative end of the lever Z descends. The saidlever being mounted by trunnions g in a standard or standards y, thisdownward motion of its longer arm is caused by a traction-spring lb. Thereverse movement is caused by the pressure of a plunger B on a coin Z.in forcing the latter down between the short arm of said lever and afixed resilient coin-stop (Z. The said plunger works down through aguide-tube B, fixed to the top of the said casing and containing areplacing spring Its lower end is bifurcated to hold the coin securelyagainst tilting during pressure. For the same purpose and to guide itinto position the said coin-stop and the proximate end of the lever areprovided with channels c and (Z opposite each other. The latter channelhas in the middle a prominence d, which holds the coin securely,compelling the use of sufiicient force in pressing it past this point ofthe lever. The coin is supplied to channel 0 of the lever by coinway,the lower part of which is inclined to give the coin an impetus in thedirection of the coin-stop cl, said coinway being rigidly attached tothe top of easing A and extending within the latter. Of course it willnot admit of a coin of diameter exceeding its own, and a coin of smallerdiameter would not be stopped by the prominence or projection d.

The end of the delivery-tube 5 is closed by a valve 6, having a handle16 extending upward, and is Weighted with a metal ball 15. (Shown indotted lines.) The said tube 5 is provided with a slot or opening 7 ontop for convenience of inspection.

The operation has been already indicated. While the coin is forced downpast the prominence d it depresses the short arm of the lever and liftsthe longer end, as shown in Fig. 2, bringing the port 9 of thereceiving-tube 2 above shield 90 and in register with the dividing-tube3. Simultaneously moves the divider 8 up through slot 10 into tube 3, sothat the first pill escaping through port 9 is stopped by said divider.The coin having passed the coin-stop, the plunger is replaced by springiin its normal position and the long arm of lever f is drawn down byspring 71., restoring the parts to the position of Fig. 1. This closesport 9 by shield w, opens a waythrough the middle of the tube 3 bywithdrawing the divider 8, and closes the delivery end of the said tubeby lowering stop 3 opposite thereto. In consequence the first pill runsto the said stop and the second takes its place, their being room in thedividing-tube 3 for two pills only. When the next coin is forced throughand the long arm of the lever thereby raised again,

the divider cuts off the first pill froi'n the second, closes port 9,lifts the stop 3, opening the delivery end of said dividing-tube, andbrings the tubular part 4 of the said lever in register with thedividing-tube, so that the first pill is forced to pass through saidpart 4, the outlet 13, and the delivery-tube 5. The valve 6 is thenopened and allowed to close itself again after they have run out.Gravity is relied on for the passage of the pills through the parts 2,3, 4:, and 5, the tubes 3 and 4t being slightly inclined. The formeris-pivoted at a higher point than the latter and the whole lever slantsup toward the hopper.

It will be noted that in starting the machine two downward motions ofthe plunger or pushbutton B are required to deliver the first pill, sothe first coin must be allowed for or a dummy used instead. Afterthatapill will be delivered at each downward thrust upon a coin.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vending-machine, a pivoted hopper and a receiving-tube extendingdown through its bottom and provided with a port in combination with alever moving the said tube, a pivoted dividing-tube in contact with thesaid receiving-tube and adapted to receive pills therefrom, but providedwith a shield for closing the said port while the lever is in normalposition and means for tilting the said lever to open the port for theoutward passage of a pill into the said dividingtube, the hopper beingrocked on its pivots by the same vibration of the lever and thereceiving-tube being thrust up among the pills to stir the samesubstantially as set forth.

2. A lever and means for operating the same, in combination with areceiving-tube carried thereby, a pivoted dividing tube adapted toreceive a pill from the said receiving-tube when the said lever isoscillated and a discharge-tube 5, the said lever being provided with atubular part 4 a divider 8 and stop 3, v

the said tubular part i being arranged to receive the pills from thesaid dividing-tube and deliver them to the said discharge tube and thesaid divider 8 being arranged between the said tubular part and stop andadapted to permit the passage of the pills one by one when the saiddivider is lowered by the rocking of the lever arranged and operatedsubstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES H. EGGLESTON. C. F. HARDY. V. A. LEPPER. Witnesses:

CRAIG G. MILLER, CHARLES H. BILLINGS.

